Fort Clinch is located near Fernandina Beach on the outskirts of Jacksonville. The first fortifications on the coast began to appear in 1736. The fort gradually grew and increased. So the construction was completed only after a hundred years.
The main purpose of building the fort was to protect the United States from foreign invaders. The need for them arose after the war of 1812 and was called "Strengthening the third system". During the Civil war, the fort was only two-thirds complete, and the guns were not even installed yet. The Confederate forces took advantage of this and captured it. They set up fortifications and batteries to protect Amelia Island and its surrounding area.
In 1862, Union forces arrived at the fort after General Robert Lee ordered an evacuation. Then, a company of New York volunteer engineers was responsible for completing the fort. However, the work was slow. The fort was unfinished and remained empty by the end of the war in 1869.
Nevertheless, Fort Clinch was used as a guardhouse. It was used as a barracks and ammunition depot during the Spanish-American War. At the end of the war, the fort again fell into disrepair and was abandoned. Then it ceased to be considered strategically important and was sold to private individuals. After the sale, the fort continued to be empty and gradually collapsed. The owners noticed this in 1935 and decided not to allow the complete destruction of the historical landmark. Then the fort was recognized as a State Park of Florida. It was one of the first objects to receive this status.
Today the fort is open to all comers. There you can both walk and see how the military lived there. There is a park adjacent to the fort. You can not only take a walk and have a picnic there but also take horses and ride them on the beach.